Green CNY's semi-serious summer to-do list

SYRACUSE -- Green is the official color of summer, so make the most of it. Here are some ideas from Green Central New York magazine:

Nicholas Lisi / The Post-StandardSunflowers, pictured last fall in Marcellus, can be planted now for a treat for birds this winter.

1. If spring is for cleaning, then summer is for relaxing. Brew some iced green tea. Or better yet, be green with your iced tea with these ideas for leftover tea and spent leaves from Steve Graham of Hometalk.com.Add to compost: Pouring strong tea into a compost bin will help speed up the process and encourage more friendly bacteria to grow.Fertilize roses: Spread used tea leaves around rosebushes, then add mulch and water. The tannic acid and other nutrients benefit the plants.Repel mosquitoes: Burning tea leaves is said to repel mosquitoes with none of the side effects of chemical bug sprays.

2. Indulge your addiction to garage sales. It’s not only thrifty and eco-friendly to find creative reuses for salvage, it’s also stylish.
Try this design from Amy Hughes, features editor at This Old House magazine and author of “Salvage-Style Projects:”
Turn an old window frame into an unusual display for photos. You can just adhere the pictures to the back of the glass with clear, double-sided tape, or set off the photos with mats cut to fit and taped in place.

3. Plant a garden that really is for the birds. Here are several plants from Venelin Dimitrov of Burpee that not only beautify a Central New York landscape but can be harvested for birdseed:Purple coneflower. When the flower has faded and started to dry, pull the seed head and slice it in half top to bottom. Remove the seeds and allow them to dry.Black-eyed Susan. Run your finger over the dried seed heads to release the tiny black seeds.Cosmos. When colors start to fade, they start producing seed. Wait till one has dried, then pull the seeds from the flower head.Sunflowers. Clip the entire head with a piece of stem and use it as a self-serve bird feeder.

4. Take the road less traveled. There are beautiful parks and lakes across Central New York. This summer, smooth out the wrinkles on that old glove-compartment map and find one you’ve never visited.
Need an idea to get started? Try the Camillus Forest Unique Area. Located about eight miles west of Syracuse, it’s described by the state Department of Environmental Conservation as “one of the most beautiful and diverse areas” in the region. There are six designated trails totaling almost 4 miles. The crown jewel is a nearly two centuries old sugar maple and American beech forest located in the southwest corner.

5. Eat a tomato, save the planet. Whether you plant a garden or visit a farmer’s market, choosing locally-grown produce means you’re reducing your food miles — the distance and energy it takes to ship the food to your plate. (The average distance traveled for food in the U.S. is estimated at 4,000-5,000 miles, Carnegie-Mellon researchers report.)